slog

slog (one's) guts out

To put a great amount of effort into something; to work very hard at something. I slogged my guts out for a few years as a court messenger for a legal firm while I finished up my law degree, and they eventually offered me a job as an attorney. There's nothing more disheartening than to slog your guts out on an assignment, only for the computer to crash and delete all your work.

See also: gut, out, slog

slog away

To work (on something) strenuously and continuously, especially for a long period of time. Sorry, I won't join you for lunch today—I've got too much to do, so I'm just going to keep slogging away. I've been slogging away at this report for the last three days. I'm just ready for it to be finished!

See also: away, slog

slog through

To work at or make progress through something at a sluggish, strenuous pace, especially for a long period of time. We had to slog through nearly a mile of swamp before we reached solid ground. I've been slogging through this really dense book about economic theory for my college course.

See also: slog, through

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

slog through something

to wade or trudge through something, such as mud or snow. Do I have to slog through the snow to go to school? Can't you drive me? When I was your age, I slogged through snow twice this deep to get to school.

See also: slog, through

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

work your guts out

or

flog your guts out

or

slog your guts out

INFORMAL

If you work your guts out, flog your guts out or slog your guts out, you work very hard. These women were amazing. They worked their guts out from 7.30 to 4.30 every day, often all evening and weekend too if they had families. I've been slogging my guts out for months, trying to get this project finished.

See also: gut, out, work

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

slog/sweat/work your ˈguts out

(informal) work very hard: I’ve slogged my guts out digging this ditch, and I’m completely exhausted. ♢ You sweat your guts out all your life and what do you get when you retire? Next to nothing. OPPOSITE: not do a stroke (of work)

See also: gut, out, slog, sweat, work

ˌslog/ˌslug it ˈout

(British English, informal) (of people, organizations, competitors, etc.) fight very hard until one person or group finally wins: The boxers slugged it out to the finish. ♢ The two teams will slog it out for second place.

In this idiom, slug and slog are both informal words meaning ‘to hit very hard’.

See also: out, slog, slug

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

slog away

v.

To work diligently for a lengthy period of time: The student slogged away on the algebra assignment.

See also: away, slog

slog through

v.

To walk or progress through something with a slow heavy pace: The explorers slogged through the swamp. I slogged through both volumes of the author's philosophical writings.

See also: slog, through

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.